Man charged in baby’s death

Friday

Mar 21, 2014 at 11:13 AMMar 22, 2014 at 10:24 AM

A Columbia man accused of dropping an 8-month-old girl on her head after drinking and smoking crack cocaine now faces a first degree murder charge after the child died Thursday at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

A Columbia man accused of dropping an 8-month-old girl on her head after drinking and smoking crack cocaine now faces a first degree murder charge after the child died Thursday at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

Michael Daniel Bonee, 25, of 220 Theta Pike, had been jailed on an aggravated child abuse and neglect charge, but the charge was upgraded to murder during a hearing before Magistrate Kenneth Lovett on Saturday. Lovitt denied bond for Bonee, who remains in the Maury County Jail.

Emergency personnel called to the Theta Pike home on Tuesday found the infant, Sandra Anne Cates, unresponsive and performed life-saving measures while transporting her to the hospital. She had suffered a severe head injury, police said, and was taken off life support and died Thursday afternoon.

Bonee is the boyfriend of the infant’s mother, Miranda Collins.

Doctors told family members the girl’s brain had swelled, her great aunt Betty Martin said.

"It’s my understanding that Miranda had run to the store and was gone about 20 minutes. The baby was asleep when she left," she said.

When Collins returned, the child was not behaving normally and Collins called for an ambulance, Martin said.

The great aunt said the loss was tragic and the baby was deeply loved by the family.

"I haven’t seen her a whole lot, but on Facebook Miranda was always talking about how she was a happy baby, a good baby. She laughed all the time and was really smart. She was learning to pull up and to take steps," she said.

In an interview with investigators, detailed in an arrest warrant, Bonee admitted drinking and smoking crack cocaine earlier in the day. He said he had dropped the child who had landed headfirst on the hard floor of the trailer where they lived, according to the warrant.

Bonee also is charged with vandalism, accused of damaging a wall in an interview room at the Columbia Police Department Investigation Division with his head.

According to a statement released by the Columbia Police Department, Bonee was convicted of misdemeanor child abuse in September 2011 for causing injury to his 7-year-old son. He was sentenced to 11 months and 29 days of probation on that charge.

Bonee, who is being represented by a court-appointed attorney, is scheduled to appear before General Sessions Judge Bobby Sands at 2 p.m. March 31.